I have found 9-pound bags of a mix of mostly millet with some sunflower seed and, I think, safflower seed, at a dollar-type store here called Big Lots. $7 per bag. Birds gobble it up in winter, but in the winter they'll eat anything; in the spring they are picky, kicking out the milo for the pigeons and doves, so I stop feeding them and concentrate on hummingbirds and, this year, suet for Ladderback and Downy woodpeckers. Also I have nyger thistle feeders (both metal mesh feeder and sock feeder) out for our sweet, tiny lesser goldfinches. To complete my first post in this forum, I spotted and got pictures of a male Northern Cardinal this morning, a rare sighting for our area (Albuquerque). A similar male bird (the same one??) was reported a few miles further north back in February. I also photographed a rare Vermillion Flycatcher in April. Maybe more birds are moving into my state -- and I'll have figure out how to feed them if they visit my apartment complex :)

Let me first say, I love these trees. Yes, they use to be abundant when the area was primarily agricultural. Now with the spreading suburbia, they are quickly disappearing. In part I'm at fault because I cut down a 1/2 mile hedgerow that was slated to for a new subdivision. One tree was over 4' wide. If you're going to use it for firewood, split it as soon as you cut it and never use it in a fireplace. Actually it can burn too hot even for an unlined cast iron stove. Dangerous wood to burn as it is a "sparkling" wood that will spit out embers. LOTS of ash but NOTHING burns as long or as hot other than coal itself. Many bird varieties were in the hedgerow including blue birds, indigo buntings, cardinals, hawks, owls, and even raccoons, possum, but never saw a squirrel! Hedge rows should be protected! They are an amazing wildlife habitant. Sorry to have cut this one down but otherwise they would have bulldozed it and just burnt it in the field. Remarkable wood. Peal off the bark and it will last 100yrs. Farmers made fence posting out of it. Not a great wood to work with as far as furniture or the like. Extremely hard after drying. I've cut old fence posts and had sparks flying while cutting. Full chisel chain works best for cutting this wood when green.

Thanks Angie. I will indeed photograph more often. I set the tripod and camera in my kitchen sink and the feeder is maybe nine feet away. The birds are becoming more and more trusting of me. When I go outside in the morning to fill the feeder (sunflower hearts) there's singing and more and more birds are venturing closer to me... especially a Downy woodpecker. He will allow me to get near the feeder when he's on the railing before he flies off. Of course I enjoy greeting him and the other birds with a simple: "hello guys" or "good morning guys" One question I have is the use of capitalization when talking about birds. I'm very well versed in trees/etc- What is correct with birds, i.e.: Northern Cardinal or Northern cardinal White-breasted Nuthatch or White-breasted nuthatch The "common names" of trees are always lower case, i.e. fir, spruce, maple, oak, etc- Never Oak or Maple, etc- Many thanks guys and gals! Dax

Hi Bk, It is surprisingly difficult to answer this. I had pretty much given up on growing certain types of flowers. They are just so prone to balling and rotting in my climate. We have had a bit of a drought this year with no rain for 3 months and we still have nightly dew on everything. My grass has learned to be quite satisfied drinking dew and seems not to notice that there has been no rain. So back to your question, I still don't have many large flowers but Fiji takes the honors for starting this craziness. It's the first large sized flower that I've had in many moons. My next one that opens well is the Lady Gardener. She always looks as if she's going to ball but has not done so yet. However it is slow to self clean and not the prettiest bush. Bolero is a great opener thou not the largest flower it is a good sized one. Princess Ann is an absolute beauty but she is new and the weather has been much drier than normal. I'm thinking there won't be a problem with it. Others that I can think of are like South Africa, Mother of Pearl and roses like those. Really I have learn to be happy with roses that bloom up a storm and that way I'm not feeling left out.